By Staff | November 1, 2026
After nearly twenty years away from being in a band, Eddie “TOPO” Lizardo found himself back in the thick of things on lead guitar with one of our favorite bands, The Lousekateers. He left Venezuela at 35 with his young son and eventually wound up living out a teenage dream of touring both America and the UK, albeit a couple of decades behind schedule. Has band life changed that much for him in the intervening years? Not really. The cheap hotels and Waffle House meals probably would have been more appealing when he was younger, but he’ll take it.
In our second guitar interview, we caught up with Eddie to find out how he ended up back onstage, what he’s got in the case and whether one particular bandmate really needs to worry about those 500 guitar pedals.
You played everything from salsa to heavy rock as a teenager — how do these influences find their way into your songwriting these days?
I believe that having played various styles of music has helped me make my guitar playing more percussive; even though my biggest influence was always classic rock; I don’t rely solely on chords, but rather on groove. I’m not a virtuoso guitarist—I do play the occasional solo here and there, but I focus more on providing solid accompaniment, which I believe serves the song and the singer best.
As for songwriting, I think that the broader your musical vocabulary, the more options you have to draw from when crafting your songs (though it doesn’t always work out).
What did those early years playing cover gigs teach you that you probably wouldn't have learned playing strictly punk?
It led me to the decision of making my own music (there was a time I couldn't stand doing covers). But I found chord progressions and transitions even in songs I disliked. I feel that at a very young age, you must try numerous things and not stay confined to a single room; the identity of our music originates from blending multiple things. In fact, there is a song I wrote for The Lousekateers that features chord progressions I learned from other genres. For instance, in "Forever United," there’s a section adapted from a 1950s song that I didn’t like but I reworked it for a Ska/Punk style. Then there’s another song called “Putty", the bridge was inspired by a chord progression from a Sting song. Whenever I listen to or play regardless of the genre I’m always keeping an ear out for chord progressions and thinking about how I can adapt them to my own songs.
With Dan and Val
How did being forced to leave Venezuela influence your outlook on life and music?
To give you a proper answer to this question, I’d need to sit down with you over a few beers (editor’s note: anytime!). It’s not easy to cover this in just a few lines, but I’ll give you a brief summary. There’s a big difference between something that’s planned and something that’s forced. Even though I enjoy uncertainty and work best under pressure, leaving my home country at 35—without knowing any English and with an 8-year-old son —was truly difficult. I went through things I never imagined I’d ever face; I was caught between the excitement of starting over in a new country with more freedom, and an inner voice telling me, "You’re not going to be able to handle this." But ten years later, it’s been a wonderful experience, and I’m grateful for the life I’m living now. As for music, this journey has given me the chance to do what I dreamed of as a teenager: traveling the roads of the U.S. and playing with my band (but now in my 40s, hahahah!), something made possible thanks to The Lousekateers, who truly love being out on tour. Being here also motivated me to reconnect with music and finally take my guitar out of the house.
After nearly two decades away from playing in bands, did you find yourself approaching music differently when you returned?
When it comes to being in a band—naaaaaahhhhhh, it’s all the same shit, it’s really just about making fun of ourselves, playing pranks on each other, telling bad jokes, philosophizing about topics we think we know something about, getting into arguments over differing opinions, throwing in a few "fuck yous," then telling each other how much we love one another, enjoying cheap hotels, eating at Waffle House, really enjoying the shows, and meeting people and bands in every place we go. That right there, what I just described, is the script for every single tour. It’s super fun.
As for my experience with music here, I love the scene and the community. Paradoxically, just like back in my underdeveloped home country, the sound system is often a problem, even in many places here. That said, there are some venues that excel in every aspect, from sound to lighting. But I also appreciate those bars and shows where the sound system might be terrible, yet the raw, original energy of punk is still very much alive.
What was it about your bandmates in The Lousekateers that made you feel you'd found the right band?
Well, that was a bit of luck; they found someone who hadn’t made music for many years, and they showed me some love. I was fortunate to cross paths with such good people. They gave me the freedom to play their songs in my own style and to create new ones; they adopted me as a member of their family, and that’s truly how I feel in my heart. Whenever we go on tour, they’re always so excited to show me places in their country, share stories, and explain aspects of American culture. I remember during our first few tours, whenever it was my turn to drive, I’d play Lynyrd Skynyrd or Bruce Springsteen’s "Born in the U.S.A." (because, as a teenager, that’s how I imagined touring in the U.S. would be). They’d tease me, calling me the "Venezuelan Redneck”—hahahahaha! and I accept it with great honor.
We also have great chemistry when it comes to making music. I’m terrible at writing lyrics, but that’s something Val excels at; we make a great team. I love tapping into her unique blend of influences, the melodies of the '50s, the late-'70s sound of the Ramones, and that '90s Punk vibe. She’s an explosive combination, exactly what my guitar was missing. Dan is the kindest person on earth; he’s always happy and ready to go, he’s a genuinely Happy Guy. I suppose I even "rescued" him a bit, if there’s one contribution I’ve made to this band, it’s letting him know that in punk, you’ve got to hit the drums hard! Greg, our bassist, is another great person, he’s incredibly dedicated to his son and has been wonderful to me. (Though, at the end of the day, he is a bassist, you know? Hahahahaha—just a classic band joke!) And lots of love to Julie, our fill-in bassist; she’s such a character, wherever she goes, she brings pure joy. They are the family that adopted me here in the United States, and well, I’ve gone on a bit here, but I believe talking about the band is what matters most.
What were you trying to capture when you produced and mixed 'Sayonara, Dude', and how close did you get to the sound you wanted?
Working from the premise that you’ll never truly achieve the sound you’re aiming for—because once you listen back, there’s always something that makes you think, "I should have done it this way or that way," or "something was missing in the EQ”—I am actually quite satisfied with the result. I used albums by Rancid, the Ramones, The Distillers, and The Interrupters as references for the mixing and mastering, and I think that influence comes through in the record’s sound, albeit with a vastly different budget. Most importantly, the record sounds good and authentic, retaining the natural imperfections of music played by humans; each song has its own distinct vibe and specific sound.
You've moved from Marshall stacks to amp simulators, but what parts of your guitar sound are you unwilling to compromise?
I will always use my Boss BD-2 Blues Driver pedal wherever I go; it’s the best pedal in the world, better than the Tube Screamer, and I’m not going to argue about it. (This is bound to be a controversial take among guitarists.)
With your background in punk, ska, reggae, and classic rock, where would you like to take The Lousekateers' sound next?
We’re already working on new music and will be focusing on that throughout the winter. I can tell you that there’s a lot of ska in these new compositions. We don’t have a set plan for what the sound will be; we’re just going with the flow, but I know the next record is going to sound great. One thing we’ll definitely maintain is a natural sound; even though everything today relies heavily on plugins, we always try to keep things sounding as “Natural” as possible. We’re also a "first-take" kind of band, those takes always sound the best, as they capture the true essence, imperfections and all.
Val has said that you use 500 pedals on stage - what's the actual number, and how many are you hiding from her?
Here’s a photo of my all-in-one pedalboard. It’s got everything I use live, even the amp, so I can travel with it and handle everything I need. It looks pretty cool, too! It’s just my amp, the amp simulator in the HX Stomp, my beautiful, wonderful BOSS BD-2, and my delay pedal. The rest is just there to show off to other guitarists at shows hahahahaha! I never actually use the EQ or the RAT; they’re just there to fill up space. But every time Val sees my board, she makes the same joke about Eddie and his 500 pedals.
The famous pedalboard
Anyone you'd like to thank for their support?
I want to thank the people who support immigrants. At all our shows, there are always people who show their support for immigrants, and it’s wonderful to see. I want everyone to know that we aren’t bad people; most of us respect this country and are grateful to be here. There are bad people everywhere, but we shouldn’t generalize. Please be kind and respect others, always show empathy and love. Just as music is a fusion that creates something magical, the same is true for people. One of the things that captivates me about New York is the incredible diversity; it’s beautiful to see how people from all walks of life coexist in one place, it’s truly magical. There aren’t many places like this in the world. I want to thank this country for welcoming my son and me, and for giving and teaching me so much; I know that, in some way, I will give back.
Links
Instagram: @edlizar2 https://www.instagram.com/edlizar2